CLINTON: But at least I tried. That’s the difference in me and some, including all the right wingers who are attacking me now. They ridiculed me for trying. They had eight months to try and they didn’t…I tried. So I tried and failed. When I failed I left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy and the best guy in the country, Dick Clarke… So you did FOX’s bidding on this show. You did you nice little conservative hit job on me. But what I want to know..

WALLACE: Now wait a minute sir…

CLINTON:…

WALLACE: I asked a question. You don’t think that’s a legitimate question?

CLINTON: It was a perfectly legitimate question but I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked this question of. I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked: Why didn’t you do anything about the Cole? I want to know how many you asked: Why did you fire Dick Clarke? I want to know…

Clinton certainly has very little to be defensive about. Prior to 2001, terrorism just wasn’t a global issue. It maybe should have been, but when virtually no ‘experts’ around the world managed to identify terrorism as a major threat, it would be unfair to condemn the previous US administration for not pouring resources into fighting it.

The full interview airs tomorrow on Fox. I’m sure it’ll be available on the internet within minutes, so we’ll see how he performed in the context of the entire interview.